GSS to Speak on Homeland Security and All-Hazard Alert Systems
Mar 14, 2006 9:31 AM
Global Security Systems (GSS) has scheduled a number of speaking engagements to help educate federal, state, and county government officials and the public about the need for a new digital homeland security and all-hazard alert systems. Following the breakdown of emergency communication systems during recent catastrophic events, including Hurricane Katrina and the 9/11 attacks, GSS has proposed a new emergency communications systems based on FM radio transmissions that will address the needs of emergency responders and the general public.
Matthew Straeb, executive vice president of marketing and sales for GSS, will speak on Tuesday, March 14, at the Mississippi Governor’s Homeland Security Conference at the Pearl River Resort in Choctaw, Miss.; on March 27 at the Southeast Regional Homeland Security Conference in Birmingham, Ala.; and on April 24 at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) conference in Las Vegas.
“What we saw during Hurricane Katrina was a major breakdown in communications caused by the limitations of the communications systems and their nodal vulnerabilities, as well as the fact that first responders, the state governments, FEMA, and the military were using different and incompatible systems,” Straeb says. “What is required is an affordable communications system that provides umbrella coverage to send simple text, audio, and visual messages in a very short period of time, and we offer this proven and robust technology to everyone.”
The system developed by GSS will allow text messages to be sent via FM radio signals to emergency responders in crisis situations. The system provides secure transmission of a single point to multipoint messaging and notification using RDS and RBDS data protocol, layered by “need-to-know” groupings. The digital alerting system uniquely identifies all receiving units by utilizing its equipment “primary identifier” and a programmable (over-the-air) identifier. The Emergency Management Authority defines the personnel (receivers) groupings to receive messages for any given circumstance. Further, the system is programmed to provide “Grid Alert” (defined geographical area) messaging capability, meaning that users have the capability to alert all or only designated receiver devices in a specified geographical area or that enter the specified area.
GSS uses a standard commercial FM receiver chip that can be inserted into pagers, smoke detectors, cell phones, PDAs, and other like devices to alert responders and provide vital information as a situation develops. The Mississippi Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Office are currently deploying the GSS system for a statewide alert system.
For more information, visit www.gssnet.us.
